electronicfandomcom-20200214-history
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of graphical user operating systems manufactured, developed, and sold by Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft introduced Windows on November 20, 1985 when graphical user operating systems were starting to get more common on home PCs and Macs after Apple released Mac OS in 1984 outselling the OS but not enough to outsell it's population. The latest release of Windows is Windows 7 being released on July 22, 2009, the latest server edition is Windows Server 2012, and the latest smartphone operating system of Windows is Windows Phone 7.5. An upcoming version of Windows called Windows 8 is also to be released on October 26, 2012. It will feature a new metro interface also seen on Windows Phone, and will be more tablet friendly even leaving room for the upcoming Surface Pro. History Early Versions Windows 1.0 was the first version of Windows and was released on November 20, 1985. It was available for small DOS programed PCs and featured very simple applications such as a clock, a calendar, a paintbrush program, and a typing program. Windows 2.0 was released in October 1987 and was similliar to Windows 1.0 except with a few more features. Windows 2 had the power to overlap applications on top of each other, but besides that, it was very much the same as Windows 1. Windows 3.0 Windows 3.0 was released in May 1990 and improved the design of Windows mainly adding a different color scheme and making it look less childish and act less childish aiming it at office users or serious people. Windows 3.0 was also by far the first official success to Windows after Windows 1 and 2 were both a faliure. Windows 95, 98, & Me Windows 95 was released on August 16, 1995 being released at the same time as Internet Explorer. It featured a new Start button which could hold some of your programs and files and do small tasks on your computer such as shutting it down and restarting it etc. The start button was seen in the bottom left corner of the computer and was inside the taskbar, a small bar filling the entire bottom of the screen which displays your open programs, internet access and working networks, and the date & time. Windows 95 also had compatibility with Internet Explorer. Windows 98 was released on June 22, 1998. It was an updated version of Windows 95 adding several more programs. A second version of Windows 98 called Windows 98 Second Edition (often shortend to Windows 98 SE) being released on May 25, 1999. Windows 2000 (an NT version of Windows) was also released on February 17, 2000, and lastly, Windows Me (standing for Millenium Edition and is also mispronounced me as in the word). Windows Me is the second most hatred version of Windows being passed by Windows Vista in 2007. Windows Me added one new main feature to home computers called System Restore. System Restore changes your computer's settings back to it's factory settings and removes all your programs. Windows XP Windows XP was released on October 25, 2001 and featured a total redesign from the 9x line of operating systems. Windows XP was highly praised in magazines and newspapers upon it's release. Microsoft released two versions of Windows XP when it was released: Home and Proffesional. Home is aimed at home users who simply use the internet and such to play games and communicate etc, while Proffesional is aimed at office workers and people who use computers to do advanced calculations etc. In April 2008 Microsoft released Windows XP Ultimate, an advanced version of Windows built with the energy blue theme. In April 2003 (exactly 5 years before the release of Windows XP Ultimate) Microsoft released an even more advanced version of Windows XP Proffesional called Windows Server 2003. Windows Server 2003 (like all Windows Server operating systems up until Server 2011), comes with the classic Windows theme. Windows Server 2003 is bundled with most office Windows XP Proffesional computers. This was successed by Windows Server 2003 R2 in December 2005 (exactly the same time as Microsoft released the blue energy theme). Mainstream support was discontinued on April 14, 2009 while Extended support will be discontinued on April 8, 2014. Windows Vista On January 30, 2007, Microsoft released Windows Vista. Windows Vista featured a new sleek attractive shell, focuses on security features, and introduced secondary widgets called gadgets. Unfortunately Microsoft focused too much on these features which lead to some critism and some performance complaints. Windows Server 2008 was released in February 2008 and has the same concept as Windows Server 2003 except it is designed for Vista. This was successed by Server 2008 R2 in July 22, 2009, which some people confuse it to be a server edition of Windows 7, but isn't due to the intention release of Windows Server 2011, officially aimed at Windows 7. Windows 7 Windows 7 was released on October 22, 2009, and introduced smartphone and tablet like features, such as multi-touch support, a new shell, and a redesigned taskbar called the superbar. Microsoft also focused less on security and design and focused more on stability and performance. An example is Microsoft only left gadgets remaining on smartphone like computers and made it easier to have access to programs and such. On April 6, 2011 Microsoft released Windows Server 2011. Windows Server 2011 is currently the first and only server operating system to not be bundled with the classic Windows theme. Windows 8 Windows 8 is an upcoming version of WIndows and is the successor to Windows 7. Windows 8 will be released on October 26, 2012 and will feature a new Metro UI start menu while the desktop stays the same. Users will be able to use Windows 8 in the classic way and the metro way and is recommended that Windows 8 should be used on tablets and computers with touch screens. Category:Microsoft Category:Operating Systems